Permutation lock



Feb. 16, 1932. s. N. HOPE 1,845,021

PERMUTATION LOCK Filed April 20. 1931 Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL N. HOPE, OF WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T DUDLEY LOCK CORPORA- TION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS PERIUTATION LOCK Application fled April 80,

The present invention relates to lock devices, and more particularly to lock devices of the permutation or keyless type, especially adapted for use in connection with closures such as vaults, safes, cabinets, lockers, etc.

The main object of this invention resides in the provision of an improved permutation lock structure in which the tumbler mechanism is automatically misaligned or upset when the locking bolt moves to extended or operative position, so that the bolt cannot again be moved to unlocked position until the tumbler mechanism has been re-adjusted.

Another object is to provide an improved lock of this character which is relatively simple, compact and positive in operation and which is economical to manufacture. It consists in certain features and elements of construction as herein shown and described and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of the inside of a locker construction equipped with a lock device embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the lock with the back wall of the casing removed and with the tumbler mechanism adjusted and the lock bolt retracted in unlocked posi tion.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken substantially as indicated at line, 33, on F igure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical substantially axial section taken as indicated at line, 4-4, on Figure 2.

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the ratchet or trip pawls employed for upsetting the tumbler mechanism.

The present application is a continuation in part of my (o-pending application Serial No. 481,896 filed September 15, 1930.

For the purpose of illustration the lock embodying the present invention is shown as applied to a locker type closure of conventional construction having a body, 10, fabricated from plate and angle stock providing an opening, 11. with which cooperates the hinged closure element or door, 12. The locker structure illustrated in the drawing 1831. Serial No. 581,432.

is a commercial construction in which the means for latching the door in closed osition includes a vertically movable 100 'ng bar, 14, carried at the free edge of the door and provided with a plurality of vertically spaced laterally ofiset lugs, 15, which are adapted to register with and engage in cooperatively spaced notches, 16, provided in brackets, 17, which are secured to the body and extend laterally into the opening, 11. This locking bar, 14, is provided with elongated slots, 14, through which the rivets, 14", extend and are rigidly fixed to the transverse flange, 12, at the free edge of the door, which construction permits a limited range of vertical movement of the locking bar. On the exterior of the door, 12, is a handle member, 18, which is rigidly connected through the member, 20, to the vertically movable locking bar, 14, by means of which said looking bar ma be raised for disposing the lugs, 15, clear 0 the eo-operating notches, 16, in the brackets, 17, releasing the door from the closure body and permitting it to be swung to open position.

In locker constructions where the closure element is latched to the body at a plurality of spaced points, it has been found desirable to usually provide some means for automati cally holding the locking bar in raised position when it is shifted thereto preparatory to opening the door, and said means bein so constructed as to hold the latch bar raised during the time that the door remains in open position, and automatically releases the locking bar for dropping either by gravity or by action of spring means to locking position when the door has been moved to closed position. Such a construction is fully illustrated and described in my co-pending application above mentioned. It will be understood, and as will hereinafter appear, my improved lock device may be applied to closures such as lockers irrespective of whether means is provided for automatically holding and releasing the latch bar. However, it will be manifest that if such means is provided, the number of manual manipulations incident to the opening and closing of the locker door will be considerably reduced.

The late member, 20, which is rigidly associate with the locking bar and connected to the handle member, 18, is provided with an in-turned lug, 20, which is adapted to be straddled by the forked end, 21, of the arm, 22, of a bell crank lever, 23, which is pivotally mounted at 24 to the inner surface of the door. This bell crank lever also includes an upwardly extending arm, 25, which is approximately ninety degrees to the arm, 22, and is provided at its extreme end with an in-turned lug, 26, which engages in an upwardly open slot, 28, at the outer end of a laterally movable lock bolt, 29, of the lock device embodyin this invention, and which, as may be seen in igure 1, is rigidly secured to the inner side of the door or c osure member, 12. The lock includes a rectangular casing, 30, havin a rigid centrally located stud, 31, connecte to the back of the casing, as seen in Figure 4, on which stud is mounted a plurality of axially s aced tumbler disks, 32, 33 and 34, with suitable spacer elements, 35, herein shown as of horseshoe shape, interposed and anchored against lateral movement on a pair of spaced studs, 36, secured in the casing. These tumbler disks are provided with the usual driving lugs, 32, 32", 33 and 33 and 34, respectively, by means of which motion may be transmitted for adjusting one by the other to produce a certain relative arrangement. J ournaled on the upper end of the stud, 31 and having bearing engagement in a sleeve, 38, at the front of the casing is a tumbler setting knob, 39, which extends through an aperture in the door so as to be exteriorly accessible. Said knob is provided with an enlarged circular flange, 40, which rotatably engages the inner surface of the lock casing and holds the k ob captive therein. The inner surface of his flange is provided with a pluralit of circw larly spaced apertures, 40, one 0 which cooperates with the driving lug, 32', of the first or master tumbler disk for transmitting motion to the other tumbler disks of the series. A coil spring, 42, circumscribes the lower end of the stud, 31, and reacts against the bottom tumbler through the washer element. 43, which is seated against a shoulder, 44, formed by the enlargement at the lower end of the stud by means of which yieldin pressure is transmitted to all the tumbler dilcs for maintaining them in operative relation to each other. The lock casing, 30, is secured to the inner surface of the closure or door, 12, by the bolts, 46, which also engage on the outer surface of the door an escutcheon plate, 47, which is constructed for engaging and holding captive a graduated dial, 48, which is mounted on and rotatable with the longitudinal groove tumbler setting knob, 39, for setting the tumblers and permitting variation in combinations in a manner similar to that disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 436,- 007 filed March 15, 1930.

A portion of the laterally shiftable lock bolt, disposed in the casing is of U-shape formation having its legs, 29, straddling the tumbler mechanism, as seen in Fi 2. At the closed end of the U-sha ed portion of the lock bolt there is provide a pair of spaced lugs, 29", which are adapted to engage in cooperativel formed notches, 32, 33 and 34, respective y, in said tumbler disks when the have been adjusted in alignment with eacli other.

Due to the engagement of the lug, 26, of the bell crank arm engaging in the upwardly open slot, 28, of the lock bolt, 29, it will be manifest that said lock bolt will be positively moved to extended or operative position by the bell crank when it is swung about its pivot, 24, by the downward movement of the locking bar, 14, incident to the closing of the door as above described. It will also be manifest that so long as the tumblers are disarranged with their notches, 32 33 and 34, respectively misaligned, the lock bolt is maintained in extended or locking position, and when the tumblers have been adjusted in roper position to permit the lock bolt to e retracted, this adjustment is effected by the exterior-l accessible operating knob 39. Then when the locking bar, 14, is raised by its handle, 18, the lock bolt, 29, is positively moved to unlocking or retracted position, 32, by the motion transmitted by the bell crank, 23. It will be recognized that the connection between the bell crank and the lock bolt may be such that the return of the lock bolt to extended or operative position need not necessarily be controlled by the movement of the locking bar, but, as shown, may be so moved by a pair of springs, 50, which are ocketed in the ends of the legs. 29, of said lock bolt, and which react against the end wall of the lock casing and tend to urge the bolt outwardly into operative position.

In order that a lock of this character be particularlyadaptable for use in connection with lockers, etc., it is essential that the lock be constructed so that when the closure is moved to closed position and the latching bar shifted to its operative position, the lock will also assume a locked position so as to preclude re-opening of the door or closure without again manipulating the lock. This is effected by providing means for upsetting or misaligning the tumbler mechanism which will presently be described. One of the legs of the lock bolt'is provided with a recess, 51, in which is disposed a coil spring, 52, engaging a depending lug. 53, of a floating ratchet or trip pawl, 54, which is so designed that normally said spring, 52, urges and maintains the tang, 55, of said pawl in the plane of the bottom tumbler disk. 34. Thus when the bolt, 29, is moved into the casing, the tang, 55, is caused to yield laterally outward as it ams over the peripheral edge of the tumbler disk, 34, until it registers with and snaps into engagement with a co-operatively formed peripheral notch, 56, in said tumbler disk which position of the tumbler disk corresponds to the registration of its notch, 34, in alignment for receiving the lugs, 29", of the lock bolt. This ratchet or trip pawl, 54, is permitted to move transversely to the direction of movement of the bolt in a cut-away portion, 29, of one leg, as seen in Figures 2 and 3, and the upper or free end of this pawl is formed with an arcuate surface, 54, which is so dimensioned that when the lock bolt is in extended or locking position this ratchet pawl lies entirely clear of the periphery of its co-operating tumbler, 34.

The other leg of the lock bolt is also rovided with a ratchet or trip pawl, 58, w ich is movable transversely to the direction of movement of the bolt in a longitudinal slot, 29", and is adapted to co-operate with an engage in a peripheral notch, 59, of the intermediate OI SGCOIId tumbler disk, 33. This ratchet pawl is provided with a down-turned lug, 60, which is engaged by the ends of the coil spring, 50. and as may be seen in Figure 6, the design of this pawl is such that the pressure exerted by the spring normally urges the pawl into path of engagement of the tumbler disk, 33, and this pawl because of its shape will also lie clear of peripheral contact with its co-operating tumbler, 33, when its lock bolt is extended in co-operative or locking position. It is to be understood that these two ratchet pawls are dimensioned and arranged so that the projections or lugs, 29". of the lock bolt will first have commenced to engage in their co-operating notches in the tumbler disks which have been aligned, prior to the contact of the pawls, 54 and 58, with the periphery of their co-operating tumblers as the bolt is moved into the casing. This feature of construction is important in that it precludes disarrangement of the tumbler mechanism by the frictional contact of these pawls with the periphery of the tumbler disks. lVhen the locking bar is moved to latching position, either manually or due to the automatic release,not shown, but as above referred to,the bell crank may be swung either due to the motion imparted in the movement of the locking bar or by the lock bolt due to the pressure exerted by its springs, 50, in urging the lock bolt to locking position, and during this action the trip pawls, 5t and 58, remain substantially stationary in engagement with the notches of their co-operating tumbler disks, 34 and 33, respectively, until the lock bolt has moved outwardly to the extent that its lugs or projections, 29". are clear of the co-operating notches. 32, 33 and 34", respectively. It will be manifest that during this movement the spring, 52, is compressed, creating substantial potential energy so that immediately upon freeing of the tumblers by disengagement with the lugs, 29', of the lock bolt, the pres sure of this spring, 52, is then free to act on its pawl, 54, and the pawl is instantly moved in the direction of operative movement of the bolt and by such movement the pawl through its tang, 55, imparts a quick partial revolution to the lower tumbler disk, 34, shifting its notches, 34, out of registration with the corresponding notches of the other tumbler disks. It will also be seen that while the lock bolt moves forwardly to extend position the full force of one of the springs, 50, which act against the lug, 60, of the ratchet pawl, 58, is not fully employed but is imparted to the ratchet pawl, 58, so that while the bolt moves to extended position this spring, 50, is held partially compressed and when the lugs, 29, of the bolt are clear of the co-operating notches of the tumbler disks, this retained pressure of this spring, 50, acts through the pawl, 58, on the intermediate tumbler disk, 33, and thus shifts it so as to move its co-operating notches, 33, out of alignment with the other tumbler disks. It will be noted that the arrangement of the pawls on the opposite legs of the lock bolt is such as to cause rotation of the two lower tumbler disks, 33 and 34, in opposite directions to each other and thus the lock bolt cannot be reentered into the casing in unlocking position without first resetting the tumbler mechanism in its predetermined arrangement.

I claim 1. In a permutation look, a casing, a laterally shiftable lock bolt disposed in the casing, tumbler mechanism in the casing including a series of superimposed tumbler disks having inter-engaging features for adjusting one by the other in a predetermined arrangement to permit retraction of the bolt in the casing, an exteriorly accessible actuating knob having driving engagement with one of the tumbler disks for adjustment thereof, and means responsive to the movement of the bolt in outward direction for automatically upsetting the tumbler combination, thereby precluding re-entry of the bolt, said means including a trip pawl carried by and having a floating connection with the lock bolt and engageable with a co-operatively formed shoulder of one of said tumbler disks; and a spring pocketed in the olt and engageable with said pawl for permitting yielding of said pawl relative to the bolt in the direction opposite to the movement of said bolt to operative position.

2. In a permutation lock, a casing, a laterally shiftable lock bolt disposed in the casing, tumbler mechanism ,in the casing including a series of superimposed tumbler disks having inter-engaging features for adjusting one by the other in'a predetermined arrangement to permit retraction of the bolt in the casing, an exteriorly accessible actuating knob having driving engagement with one of the tumbler disks for adjustment thereof, and means responsive to the movement of the bolt in outward direction for automatically upsetting the tumbler combination, thereby precluding re-entry of the bolt, said means including a trip pawl carried b and having a floating connection with the Kick bolt, and engageable with a co-o eratively formed shoulder of one of the tum ler disks; and a spring pocketed in a cavity of the bolt and engaging a lug of said pawl, normally urging the pawl into the ath of engagement of its co-operating tum ler disk, and adapted to permit said pawl to yield, both transversely of said bolt and in opposition to the movement of the bolt to operative position.

3. In a ermutation lock, a casing, a laterally shifta ble lock bolt disposed in the casing, means yieldingly urging said bolt into extended operative position, tumbler mechanism in the casing including a series of superimposed tumbler disks having interen aging features for adjusting one by the ot er in a predetermined arrangement to permit retraction of the bolt in the casing, an exteriorly accessible actuating knob having driving engagement with one of the tumbler disks, and means responsive to the movement of the bolt as it is returned to extended position by said spring means for automatically upsettin the tumbler combination, said means includ ing a trip pawl carried by and having a floating connection with the lock bolt and enga eable in a co-operatively formed notch in t e periphery of one of said tumbled disks; and a spring pocketed in the bolt and engageable with said pawl for permitting yielding of said pawl relative to the bolt in the direction opposite to the movement of said bolt to operative position.

4. In a permutation look, a casing, a laterally shiftable lock bolt disposed in the casing, means yieldingly urging said bolt into extended operative position, tumbler mechanism in the casing including a series of superimposed tumbler disks having inter-engaging features for adjusting one by the other in a predetermined arrangement to permit retraction of the bolt in the casing, an exteriorly accessible actuating knob having driving engagement with one of the tumbler disks, and means responsive to the movement of the bolt as it is returned to extended position by said means for automatically upsetting the tumbler combination, said means including a trip pawl carried by and having a floating connection with the lock bolt, and engageable in a co-operatively formed notch in the periphery of one of the tumbler disks: and a spring pocketed in a cavity of the bolt and engaging a lug of said pawl. normally urging the pawl into the path of engagement of its co-operating tumbler disk, and adapted to permit said pawl to yield, both transversely and in opposition to the movement of the bolt to operative position.

5. In a permutation lock, a casin ally shiftable lock bolt disposed in the casing, tumbler mechanism in the casing including a series of superimposed tumbler disks having inter-engaging features for adjusting one by the other in a predetermined arrangement to permit retraction of the bolt in the casing, an exteriorly accessible actuating knob having drivin connection with one of the tumbler disks or adjustment thereof, and means carried by the bolt and engageable with two adjacent tumbler disks for causing rotation thereof in opposite directions in response to the movement of the bolt in outward direction, thereb automatically upsetting the tumbler com ination.

6. In a permutation lock, a casing, tumbler mechanism in the casing including a series of superimposed tumbler disks having interengaging features for adjusting one by the other in a predetermined arrangement; an exteriorly accessible operating knob having driving connection with one of the tumbler disks for adjustment thereof, a laterall shiftable lock bolt having a portion of l} shape formation disposed in the casing with its leg portions straddling the tumbler mechanism; a ratchet pawl carried on each of said legs of the lock bolt and yieldingly urged in the direction for engagement with a co-o eratively formed notch in different tum ler disks, whereby movement of the bolt in outward direction automatically shifts said different tumbler disks a portion of a revolution in opposite directions and thereby upsetting the tumbler combination.

7. In a rmutation lock, a casing, a laterally mova le lock bolt disposed in the casing, tumbler mechanism in the casing including a series of superimposed tumbler disks having inter-engaging features for adjusting one by the other in a predetermined arrangement, said bolt having a lug adapted to enter registered notches of the tumbler disks when the same are disposed in their predetermined arrangement for permitting retraction of the bolt to unlocking position, an exteriorly accessible tumbler adjusting member having driving engagement with one of the tumbler disks, and means responsive to the movement of the bolt as it is returned to locking position for automatically upsetting the tumbler combination, said means including a trip pawl carried by and having a floating connection with the lock bolt and engageable in a co-operatively formed notch in the periphery of one of said tumbler disks, and a coil spring pocketed in the bolt and engageable with said pawl for permitting it to yield relative to the bolt in a direction opposite to the movement of said bolt to operative poa later- I sition, said lug on the bolt being arranged for holding one or more of said tumbler disks against rotation while the bolt moves to locking position, such movement of the bolt caus- 6 ing tensioning of the spring and building up substantial potential energy therein, whereby to cause said tumbler disk engaged by said pawl to be positively and forcibly rotated out of registration with the others 10 when said disk is released by the passin of said lug out of the notches of the tum ler disks.

SAMUEL N. HOPE. 

